This blog printed on 100% recycled electrons.
By the way, last night's election didn't fill all the vacancies on the Madison Central School Board. There's still that two-year term that none of us filed for.
I chatted with Tammy Jo about that seat last week. She emphasized that the board has free rein to appoint whomever it wants, regardless of the results of this election. And indeed, she is right: the guiding statute on filling board vacancies, SDCL 13-8-25, is a sparse two sentences that say nothing about previous votes or candidacies.
A few people asked me before the election if it didn't just make sense for the board to automatically appoint the third-place vote-getter to the third seat. I've been turning that idea over in my head since we all filed our petitions at the end of February. Sure, the law leaves the board free to appoint whomever it wishes, but does common sense?
I've been trying to come up with a scenario under which it would make sense for the board to appoint someone else. What if the third-place finisher in yesterday's election had gotten, say, 2 votes, an extreme repudiation by the electorate? Couldn't the board then justify choosing someone else to fill the seat?
By law, yes, but for legitimacy's sake... not really. Even a candidate rejected by 99.9% of the voters still has a leg up on anyone else: that candidate indicated a desire to do the job. That candidate showed the initiative to take out a petition and the willingness to put up with the public scrutiny (and occasional calumny) that candidates and public officials get.
In this case, the board has two such public-minded individuals, Paul Weist and me, to choose from. We've submitted our petitions, faced the electoral heat, and indicated our willingness to serve. For the board to pick anyone other than Paul or me would be perfectly legal, but it would take some explaining... at least to the nearly 500 people who marked my name and the just-a-shade-fewer who marked Paul's. (Whoops! And a commenter is already on board with the same thinking!)
Yesterday I came in third. There is a third seat to fill. I'm willing to take that two-year seat. 'Nuf said.
The Predictability of the Sioux Falls City Council is painful to watch
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Former City Councilor Big T wrote an excellent letter to the editor about
how the citizens need to vote on the new parks’ expenditures. I would
agree, $77 ...
13 hours ago
As stated below, you should be offered the seat, and you should take it. You showed initiative in holding two meet and greet meetings and in knocking on doors, and that shows a desire for the job and a willingness to go over and above on the job.
ReplyDeleteCal, the first time I ever ran for a public office was when I ran for school board, and my outcome was the same as yours. My loss stung, and inside I cried a little bit. I had to make a decision – do I curl up in a ball and do nothing, or do I care enough about young people and education that I run for the position again the next year? I chose the latter, and I hope you do too.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, after the election a similar situation to what you have in Madison developed in Watertown – a school board seat opened up. I expressed interest in the seat to the board president but was not appointed. Even thought I had garnered votes during the election and was the only one to seek the open seat, the majority opinion of the board was that the community opted not to elect me, and they opined that to appoint someone that the community turned-down would not be appropriate. Perhaps your school board will approach this with different logic.
Though you and I have never met, it’s clear from your blog that you possess a quality that not too many school board members possess, and that’s your passion. More important than the gift of your intellect is the gift of your heart. I know it’s way too early to be thinking about running again next year, but if not appointed, I hope you do.
Fred Deutsch
Watertown
Cory:
ReplyDeleteDon't have feet of clay. If you want the job, go for it. Government is run by those who show up. So show up. You have the skills and dedication to be an excellent public official.
Epp
SD Watch http://www.southdakotawatch.net
Cory, seems my fingers are coming down with a case of senile dementia -- concerning my above post -- who the heck is Cal?
ReplyDeletePS -- great show on tonight about love and life from the perspective of a dying prof from Carnegie Melon. Links and add'l information are here: http://www.school-of-thought.net/?p=259
Fred
I will be very surprised if you are appointed, Cory. You are outside the circle and they will not appoint someone that will ever differ with them and be willing to speak his mind about it.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid that is the case with the school board, and I think that's the reason it isn't held in very high regard by many people. The board needs someone who will not be afraid to speak up and to do research on issues, more than simply looking thru the packet an hour or so ahead of the meeting.
ReplyDeleteActually a thought here. Why would the board appoint anyone other than one of the two other qualified candidates who were willing to take the time and energy to run for a seat they obviously wanted? What possible reason could they have to not appoint one of these two persons who each garnered a very respectable number of votes from the electorate? Guess we will have to wait and hear their reasoning at the next board meeting. Maybe people should show up at that meeting and support Cory for the two-year spot since he has the next greatest amount of votes. Any other thoughts on this?
ReplyDeleteI don't know about the next meeting, Anon -- last year, the board didn't appoint Gwen to the vacant seat until the June meeting. But SDCL 13-8-25 says an appointee serves until the "next succeeding election." So maybe this time they have to make the appointment right away at their next meeting. Anyone know for sure?
ReplyDeleteI think a person could be appointed any time after Gwen Thomson's final regular board meeting in June, but prior to the first board meeting in July when the new board members take their oath.
ReplyDeleteThat law is so vague it is hard to know exactly what it means in terms of timeline. Last year, the board appointed prior to the July meeting when Thomson came back on.
The board may decide to take applications for the position or simply appoint someone they feel is qualified and would be appropriate to serve as a board member in the Madison Central District.
They could also appoint a former board member if experience is their desire. Kelly Johnson, Dennis Slaughter, Lori Waldner and others have served recently and might be willing to accept the two-year term.
It may seem natural in our minds to appoint an unsuccessful candidate, but the board will decide who they feel is best suited for this particular district, working collectively with Administration, staff, students and parents regardless of whether they ran, served or campaigned.
Trimester committee -- love to! But they already have their people. From the board minutes, 2008.02.11: "High School Principal Sharon Knowlton reviewed the staff position statement on the trimester schedule, noted that any decision will be impacted by anticipated changes in the alternative school, and indicated that the next step is to go forward with a study by a committee composed of various stakeholders. President Hawkes directed that the study committee should be organized within the next two weeks and should be composed of staff members from each building, parents of students from each level, board representatives, and a facilitator."
ReplyDeleteWhy in the world appoint a person just because he/she served before on the board if he/she didn't want to run this time around. Just because they served before does NOT make them the best qualified to be on the board now. I think either of the candidates who cared enough to run this time around should be appointed. I can see no logical reson not to. The two with the least votes still had a lot of voters vote for them and feel they were the best qualified. The board is supposed to reflect the wishes of the district, and lots of people voted for each of the candidates, winners and losers. That should be the most important think taken into consideration when appointing a new member.
ReplyDeleteTo get diversity on the board, why not make the board reflective of the various sections of the city, lake, and country? Elect one each from the country, lake, and differrnt disricts in town. It would be more fairly representative of the different parts of the school district. This might also allow more qualified people to seek a position on the board.
ReplyDeleteYou might feel you should be appointed and would gladly accept a position if offered, but face it, you have bad breath with this district and no matter what your intentions or abilities may be, it won't happen. Sort of like the flood of '93. The more time that passes, the more people tend to forget. Not enough time has passed to erase the past. Can board members open enroll so you can serve in a different district?
ReplyDeleteI served Montrose as a teacher for five years, and I thoroughly enjoyed that experience, but it also made me keenly aware of the fact that when you live in one community and work in another, it's hard to really belong to either.
ReplyDeleteLife is too short to wait for everyone to forget the past. Living in the past is a sure way to miss out on present and future opportunities.